Dumb period?

[SirVantes]

There is a generally accepted theory that a wine can go through a “dumb period” when it basically shuts down and flavours become muted. Then, after that period, which can last for years, it blossoms again, into something better than before.  I’m wondering if the same holds for cigars?

The reason I’m asking is that I’ve just had RA Club Allones lately that seem to have shut down, and would like to think that this is not just a sad decline. 

Have you experienced a cigar going through a “dumb period” and blossoming again? Is that even a thing?

[GavLew79]

I'm not sure there's enough statistically significant evidence out there to convince me either way. It's very subjective and given the variation between sticks in the same box even when they are (meant to be) good, I doubt it will ever be confirmed. 

However, is it Rafael Gonzalez or Sancho Panza boxes that say something like "these cigars should be enjoyed within 1 year of manufacture or left to mature for 3 years..." ?

[nKostyan]

It happens with fresh, moist cigars. Yes, they had a bad burn, but the taste was amazing. Boveda sucked the excess moisture and the taste was different. But a year later they're great again.

In principle, for all custom rolls recommend to smoke from either the table rollers, or not sooner than a year

[SirVantes]

2 minutes ago, GavLew79 said:

I'm not sure there's enough statistically significant evidence out there to convince me either way. It's very subjective and given the variation between sticks in the same box even when they are (meant to be) good, I doubt it will ever be confirmed. 

Fair enough. Although the same can be said of wines - you’re tasting from different bottles, even if they’re from the same case. Doesn’t seem to dissuade the wine wonks!

[GavLew79]

2 minutes ago, SirVantes said:

Fair enough. Although the same can be said of wines - you’re tasting from different bottles, even if they’re from the same case. Doesn’t seem to dissuade the wine wonks!

I wasn't disagreeing. But, I will say there far less bottle variation in a case of 12 wines, than there is in a box of 10 or 12 cigars, even from old world/hand made wines. 

I think every fermented product will have a chemical reaction 'evolution', call it what you will, where the volatile compounds will boil off, or oxidise and the mix of what remains will change. Whether there is a "sick period" as everyone goes on about, that makes them taste muted for a discernible period of time, I suspect, will remain a cigar myth/belief until someone does a whole lot of mass spectrometry and statistical analysis. 

[GrouchoMarx]

cigars? No

Me?? ummm yup

[Islandboy]

4 hours ago, nKostyan said:

It happens with fresh, moist cigars. Yes, they had a bad burn, but the taste was amazing. Boveda sucked the excess moisture and the taste was different. But a year later they're great again.

I’ve actually been pondering this lately myself, as I’ve observed this very thing with several fresh boxes over the last few years. Now that several have emerged from their “sick period” and blossomed, I’m now seeing a bit of a pattern. Interesting you mention Boveda, which is my humidification method of choice. Wondering if we Boveda users are more prone to this.

[earthson]

5 hours ago, SirVantes said:

There is a generally accepted theory that a wine can go through a “dumb period” when it basically shuts down and flavours become muted. Then, after that period, which can last for years, it blossoms again, into something better than before.  I’m wondering if the same holds for cigars?

The reason I’m asking is that I’ve just had RA Club Allones lately that seem to have shut down, and would like to think that this is not just a sad decline. 

Have you experienced a cigar going through a “dumb period” and blossoming again? Is that even a thing?

Absolutely, but not a given.  For me, it varies based upon the blend.  Marcas like ERDM, PL and RA seem to go through a very-apparent dumb (or "sick") period before emerging like swans.  Others, SCdlH, Punch & Juan Lopez, for example, are ready to shine much sooner.

That said, the Club Allones is what made me swear off EL forever (yes, forever).  I've never quite understood the goal of EL blends as any one I've tried has been a pale imitation of the regular production blends of that marca.  A few in the box were ok, but never to the standard of a RASS and I remember the RA Extras of several years ago; they were ok upon release, but seemed to nose dive in quality as time progressed, until they just tasted like a cheap Nicaraguan.

I know there are EL fans out there, but I am not one of them because, I guess, they always seem to taste sick or dumb.

[BrightonCorgi]

I've never passed my dumb period.

[garbandz]

I have noticed cigars can and do decline and ascend in flavor from the date they are rolled.

You have noticed people saying to sample boxes at intervals, to track progress of cigars as they age,and also people who have stated that boxes were not very compelling at one stage becoming noticeably better after an interval,however long it is.

I really enjoy the "chase " of monitoring cigars as they age, the only hard part is waiting and keeping my hands off of them while the process carries on.......?

[El Presidente]

12 hours ago, SirVantes said:

There is a generally accepted theory that a wine can go through a “dumb period” when it basically shuts down and flavours become muted. Then, after that period, which can last for years, it blossoms again, into something better than before.  I’m wondering if the same holds for cigars?

The reason I’m asking is that I’ve just had RA Club Allones lately that seem to have shut down, and would like to think that this is not just a sad decline. 

Have you experienced a cigar going through a “dumb period” and blossoming again? Is that even a thing?

RA Club Allones was a pretty heavy blend. Give them some time. 

RA Extras are some of the hottest cigars on the secondary market right now as most find that they are smoking an absolute treat. When they were first released (and for years afterwards) they were panned mercilessly. 

The evolution of a cigar can "evolve" out of your personal preference and into the preference of someone else. This is quite normal and one of the reasons that you should taste your stock periodically. 

 

[CanuckSARTech]

RA Club Allones was a pretty heavy blend. Give them some time. 

RA Extras are some of the hottest cigars on the secondary market right now as most find that they are smoking an absolute treat. When they were first released (and for years afterwards) they were panned mercilessly. 

The evolution of a cigar can "evolve" out of your personal preference and into the preference of someone else. This is quite normal and one of the reasons that you should taste your stock periodically. 

 

 

Club Allones - awesome, but yea, I’ve found mine in the last two years to be in a bit of a funk / sick period / not as good as on release. Last one smoked was this spring. Maybe gotta be one of those cigars I bring down to the island this Nov, to share with John to compare from when we scooped up a bunch of boxes on our Nov 2015 trip. So hell, these are ONLY 4 years old now - why worry???

 

RA Extras - to be honest, Rob, I’d have to disagree with “panned”. I thought most actually RAVED about them when they were first announced and then released. The packaging was spot on, minimal excessive H S.A. fluff for the EL stuff, an epic redesign on a classic band, a great format to smoke, etc. Even upon release and smoking, I thought most enjoyed them (though I do remember the minority who didn’t were VERY polarized against them [just because a minority is excessively loud, doesn’t make it any more or less correct - all is still fair in a law-of-averages]). I just think, as they were constructed using thick, dark, oily leaves, that these were just those ones that really needed to be trusted with some downtime. Last one of these I smoked last summer was a meh / 86-88 experience, IIRC. And I am / was a fan of them. But I’m not worried in the least - let them marinate.

 

 

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[encephalization]

Have nothing to say about the actual question but I can definitely concur that the RACA were very good within the first year/18 months of release and since then I have been disappointed every time I've picked one up. ?

[cigaraholic]

All wine goes thru bottle shock, and it seems the greater the wine the greater the shock. We’re cramming a living thing into a bottle and it doesn’t like it so it goes to sleep.

Cuban cigars, forgot about rules, some boxes smoke best the day you get them and some hit their peak years down the road....many are crap and will always smoke like shit....sourcing high quality boxes is essential to a enjoyable experience ?

 Every cigar is a unique experience, so trying to make a judgment about the quality of the cigars left in your box is foolhardy. 20% of the cigars in most boxes are under filled and will smoke bland and tasteless.